The incidence and risk of venous thromboembolism associated with cancer and nonsurgical cancer treatment

Abstract

Patients with cancer are at high risk of developing venous thromboembolism, a risk that varies according to the type of malignancy and its disease stage, and is steadily increased by concomitant patient-related thrombotic risk factors, such as advanced age, infection, heart disease, respiratory disease, as well as hospitalization, surgical, and nonsurgical cancer treatments. Current evidence-based guidelines raise awareness of the importance of thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized cancer patients and highlight the thrombotic risks of combined chemotherapy regimens. Therefore, they recommend that all patients hospitalized or bedridden owing to cancer should be considered for thromboprophylaxis in the absence of contraindications to anticoagulant therapy.